Current-wheel



(No Model.) 2 ShetS-Sheet 1.

W. F. BUGKMANN. CURRENT WHEEL.

No. 495,780. PatentedApr. 18, 1893" e 3 I T 22' Imam/2501" 7444 2mm 7.13 wckmn Q (ZZZ 2 a e h s m e e h s 2 N Wm B MH KW T m u PU 0 W m d 0 M0 m Patented Apr. 18, 1893.

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m: News PETERS 20., wow um UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM F. BUCKMANN, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

CURRENT-WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 495,780, dated April18, 1893.

Application filed August 10, 1892. Serial No. 442,644. (No model.)

To all whom/it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM F. BUcKMANN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Current Wheels, of whichthe following is a specification, reference being hadtherein to theaccompanying drawings.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in current wheels,and the invention consists in the peculiar construction of a devicecomprising a supporting frame or structure, a frame pivotally suspendedtherefrom, and a series of water wheels in the suspended frame gearedtogether and adapted to be propelled by the current to drive machineryat any desired point.

The invention further consists in the peculiar construction andarrangement of the raising and lowering devices for the suspended frame,and further in the peculiar arrangement and combination of the variousparts, all as more fully hereinafter described.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved device.Fig. 2 is a cross section thereof taken vertically through the forwardspanning timber.

Ais aframe or structure of any desired material for supportingthe waterwheels and arranged to span a water course or river or a portionthereof, at a point where the current has sufficient speed to drive sucha wheel. In the previous experiments with such wheels as this it hasbeen found impracticable to apply them except the current was of highspeed, while with the construction which I have shown it may be employedwhere the current is of ordinary speed, say from four to eight miles andhigher, so that it may be utilized in many places where it has beenfound heretofore impossible to apply the power of the running water.

The frame A at the top is provided with cross timbers B and longitudinaltimbers O. From this superstructure I suspend the frame D by means ofthe spanning timbers E and F arranged in pairs at front and rear of theframe D. The spanning timbers E are pivoted upon the shaftGwhile thespanning timbers F are pivoted upon the shaft G.

Transversely across the frame D and between the sides thereof are aseries of closed buoyant cylindrical bodies I-l, upon the periphery ofwhich are secured a series of curved blades I, forming a water wheelwith a solid central body portion and the radially extending blades asplainly shown in Fig. 1. These blades may be secured to thecylindricalbody in any desired manner. These cylinders at the end are provided withheads J having hubs K carrying shaftsLwhich arejournaled in boxes M inthe side bars of the frame D.

N are gears preferably formed integral with the heads J. These gearsupon the various water wheels being geared together in any suitablemanner, preferably by means of an intermediate gear wheel 0 journaledupon the shaft Q in the side bars of the frame D.

Upon the end of the shafts L is a drive pinion P preferably the sprocketwheel over which passes the sprocket chain P engaging with the sprocketwheel P secured upon the end of the shaft G and upon the stub shaft,substantially in line therewith. In the upper frame I preferably arrangethese drive pinions and wheels at both ends of the shafts L and G, asshown in Fig. 2. Upon the shaft G is secured a suitable drive pulley Qover which any desired machinery may be driven. To raise and lower thisframe I swing the lower end upward in the arc of a circle in any desiredmanner, the means which I preferably employ for adjusting it consistingof the rope R secured centrally to the frame, passing over the sheave Ron the upper frame and then forward and over the winding drum R upon theshaft R at the front of the machine. This shaft is secured in a slidingbox S, which is secured by means of the end lever S having a latchadapted to engage the notched segment S and the arm S having aconnecting rod S connecting that arm with the box S.

T is a friction wheel secured to the shaft R and 'I" is a friction wheelon the shaft 'G.

The machine being in operation, to raise it the operator releases thespring catch from the notched segment S and drives the lever forward,drawing the friction wheel T into contact with the friction wheel T,causing that wheel to revolve and also the drum R winding up the rope Rand thereby raising the frame so that the wheels will be lifted more orless out of the way. -When it has reached the desired point the operatorthrows the lever S in the opposite direction causing the friction wheelT to impinge against the stationary friction block U thereby locking theframe in its adjusted position. By making the body of the Wheel a closedcylinder or a solid cylindrical body the current will exert its fulleffect upon the blades in turning the wheels and thus I will obtain amaximum of power from my construction, while in the Wheels of the typeheretofore used, which have been such as the ordinary paddle wheels onboats, the current could flow above and below the blades and thus muchof its effect was lost. It is also obvious that with my construction asmany of such wheels as desired may be placed together, either arrangedin longitudinal series or slde by side, or both, utilizing the currentfor a long distance and for any desired width, and at the same time Iemploy provision for any rise or fall in the current and for adjustingthe water wheels to have any depth of dip desired.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. In a current wheel, the combinationwith a supporting structure, of a frame below the structure, spanningtimbers pivotally connected at opposite ends with the opposite ends ofthe structure and frame respectively, water wheels mounted on the frame,a gear on one of the wheels, a drive chain on the gear, a gear on thestructure over which the chain passes, a pulley on the structure, a friction wheel actuated by the movement of the chain, a friction wheelslidingly mounted on the supporting structure adjacent to the otherfriction wheel, a winding drum actuated by the sliding friction wheel, aflexible connection connected to the drum passing over the pulley andhaving its lower end secured to the frame, and a lever for moving thesliding wheel, substantially as described.

2. In a current wheel, the combination with a support and a swingingframe thereon, of water wheels mounted on the frame, a sliding frictionwheel on the support, a flexible connection between the same and frame,means for moving the sliding friction Wheel back and forth, a lock forthe moving means and gearing actuated by the Water wheels for rotatingthe sliding wheel to elevate the frame, substantially as described.

3. In a current wheel,the combination with a support, of a swingingframe carried thereby, water wheels on the frame, an adjustable windingwheel on the support, a flexible connection between the same and frame,means for adjusting the winding Wheel, gearing actuated by a water wheelfor rotating the winding wheel, a lock for the winding wheel, and meansfor retaining the winding wheel in contact with the lock substantiallyas described.

4. In a current wheel, the combination with a shaft, of a swinging framethereon, water wheels on the frame, elevating mechanism located at oneend of the support, a driving connection between the water wheels andsaid mechanism, and a flexible connection connected with the elevatingmechanism,passing over the opposite end of the support and connectedwith the frame, at a point between the ends thereof, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM F. BUOKMANN. Witnesses:

N. L. LINDOP, JAMES WHITTEMORE.

